On the Chain
by poi922
Summary: She is good at this mentoring stuff. She will paint his butt white and have him running with the antelope in no time... NOTE: Stanton POV… not the best liked character in POI, but one who plays an important part in Reese's development. Character study. Pretty much canon, based on flash-back scenes in "Foe" - This is 1 of 3 in the Wolf & Chain series.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of these characters. Such a pity...

* * *

Oh, good Lord, they really are getting younger all the time! And this one is adorable. Like a little pup…a wolf pup!

But so squeaky clean he almost has a shine. Pristine white shirt, cute little bow tie, perfectly fitting tux…he's a GQ model! Of course this venue they were both ordered to attend did require formal dress, but he's probably one of those military types that always makes the effort to present well. That kind of thing opens doors in the modern Army.

Well, they would see how that worked out in _her_ field. She'd soon scuff him up a bit; make him lose that shine.

"_You Tier 1 boys are all the same…tense."_

He does seem to fit the Company mold to a T. CIA minimum standards tend to clone their agents; all very sober, in mind if not always in body…and tighter than bark on a tree. She's seen his OMPF of course, but those nickel-and-dime administrative files are worthless.  
Like she cares about his physical data, training, or duties...

What's important, and what she is interested in is not in a file anyway...at least not one easily found. But she has the details; she knows why her new boy was recruited into The Company.

Above average intelligence, physically fit, quick problem solver… but then…oh, hum… so are all the agents, even the low level grunts.

Skilled in the use of a variety of weapons and aircraft. Cool under pressure, and an awesome sniper with an unparalleled success record.

Ah, yes. That last is the frosting that made the cake so tasty as far as her bosses are concerned.  
Now it is her job to turn this virtuous, squeaky-clean sniper into a world class soulless killer.

But first she has to confiscate all that patriotic baggage that these Special Forces boys lug with them. No room for all that; the mission flak they will strap on will be heavy enough. Though with this recruit she is likely to have to continue to rationalize his purpose frequently, as she's had to do with others who signed up for "God and Country" after 9/11. At least until he has grown an acceptable armor of insensitivity.

She will compromise all that morality, set that compass free to spin, and keep him in hot water until he is sufficiently hardboiled.

She knows he had planned to quit the army in order to be with his girl friend. Love and all that. Regrettable for the girl friend …and fortunate for The Company… the towers came down before the knot had been tied and her patriotic little soldier shipped off again.

More proof of the strong nationalistic drive that motivates him: he chose his country over his sweetheart. But there is still a residual thread attached to that girl; he's lied about not seeing her while in transit…

So, The Plan…point the first: snap that girl friend thread. And point the second: keep reinforcing that what he does is Right and Important. The Threat is Real. Your Country Needs You. And all the rest of those motivational poster slogans that will keep him going down the path designated by his superiors.

She is good at this mentoring stuff…she will paint his butt white and have him running with the antelope in no time.

"_I need you to dispose of this…and them. No teeth. No fingertips."_

He's been OOC long enough that this order will not present a problem; it won't be the first time he's had to dispose of a body...unless those special ops boys are getting soft. The teeth and fingertips…meh…that might not be so common a task.

The miniscule tightening of already taut lips gives him away, and only because she is looking for it. But like the good little soldier he is, he will follow through efficiently and without comment.

It's simply part of their existence now, their off-world.

She still finds it fascinating the difference between her world and the one her family inhabits. That line that she can't cross anymore. The delusions people back home have about their Facebook fantasy life is … unsettling. Mom and Dad go on their way to work in the morning, children to school or play.  
And the family thinks it all so commonplace that they can be home later, available to sit down to a meal together at the end of the day.

Well, more realistically, pick up McDonalds in transit or a pre-cooked chicken…but home none-the-less.

The reality in most of the world, at least in the countries where she and her shiny new protégé will be working, is that leaving home in the morning is no guarantee that one will be back in the evening and not laid out in a ditch somewhere with a bullet in the head…or limbs blown off.

In that respect she knows she still has some faith in her job. That she can hope what they do will make a difference. Of course the fact that she also loves this job is an extra bonus...

"_We're walking in the dark here…understand?"_

And in order to accomplish this monumental task…that is, make sure the folks back home can continue their idealistic existence…she will train her new boy to be a killer so that he can become a protector of the innocent.

Or at least those that the CIA deems innocent, though in most cases, considers merely useful…

She will handle him and lead him and ensure that his skills are kept razor sharp, so when called upon to use them, he will react with instinctive competency.  
He has the potential; otherwise he would have washed out of Special Forces early on. He has the appropriate mindset and proficiency.  
But the difference between what his Unit created and what the Company will require is straightforward.

Right now her boy is a good protection dog…effective, efficient, with well honed skills to execute orders.  
When she is through training him, he will be an urban wolf…deadly, dangerous, with unrivaled skills to destroy without orders.

He's on the chain now…and it thrills her that she's the one holding the other end!


End file.
